Alexandra Preece came to the polling place in a garage at 3285 Galloway Drive in University City to cast her vote moments before an appearance by mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher.
— John Gastaldo

The polls for today’s special mayoral election close at 8 p.m. and the four top contenders spent the final day of the campaign urging voters to cast their ballots.

The get-out-the-vote effort is paramount to the top Democratic contenders -- City Councilman David Alvarez and Qualcomm executive Nathan Fletcher -- as they vie to earn a spot in the February runoff alongside Republican Councilman Kevin Faulconer, who is leading comfortably in all major polls.

Alvarez started his day by voting at the Calvary Baptist Church in Logan Heights and then speaking to students at Cesar Chavez Elementary School. He later attended a voter rally with top Democrats, including Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins and former Councilwoman Donna Frye, and then spent his afternoon taking part in the Hearts and Hands Food Giveaway, which gives turkey vouchers to elderly residents in San Ysidro.

San Diego mayoral candidate Kevin Faulconer, with his wife Katherine in the background, vote in Point Loma in the special election to replace former Mayor Bob Filner who resigned in August.
— Howard Lipin / UT San Diego

San Diego mayoral candidate Kevin Faulconer and his wife Katherine leave the polling place at the 6th Church of Christ Scientist in Point Loma after voting in the special election to replace former Mayor Bob Filner who resigned in August.
— Howard Lipin / UT San Diego

Katherine Faulconer, wife of San Diego mayoral candidate Kevin Faulconer looks on as her husband talks with reporters after they voted in the special election to replace former Mayor Bob Filner who reigned in August.
— Howard Lipin / UT San Diego

Fletcher began his day with his family holding campaign signs in Point Loma before casting his vote at a University City polling precinct. His final campaign event was held Monday with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and the head of the Police Officers Association to highlight the diverse support of his candidacy.

Faulconer had a low-key Election Day, voting with his wife in Point Loma and then planning to talk with supporters at his campaign headquarters in the late afternoon. He is in the enviable position of having a large lead heading into the final day.

A U-T San Diego/10News poll released Sunday had Faulconer ahead with 40 percent support among likely voters followed by Fletcher at 24 percent and Alvarez at 22 percent. The gap between Fletcher and Alvarez has been closing quickly over the past few weeks, setting up a showdown for second place.

The fourth high-profile candidate, former City Attorney Mike Aguirre, conducted interviews with TV news stations on Tuesday and campaigned part of the day in Point Loma and Hillcrest neighborhoods. He planned to watch the results from home. Aguirre has campaigned aggressively but refused to accept large donations. He had 7 percent support in the latest poll.

As of 2 p.m., San Diego County Registrar Michael Vu said there had been no significant issues at any of the nearly 500 polling places encompassing the city’s 572 precincts.

“Everything is up and running and going pretty smoothly,” he said.

The stream of voters was light but expected to pick up later in day as people got off work and home from school. About 110 mail-in ballots were being dropped off at the Registrar’s Office every hour, Vu said.

Through Monday morning, 135,000 of the roughly 360,000 mail ballots that were distributed had been returned. Vu’s office is expected to post the first count of mail-in ballots right after the polls close at 8 p.m.

A second count reflecting the first polling place returns should come between 9:30 and 10 p.m., he said, adding that roughly half of the polling place returns should be available by around 11 p.m.

After initially predicting an overall turnout of more than 50 percent, Vu has scaled that back to about 44 percent.